# How many employees does it take to staff a position 24/7?

> How many full-time people does it take to staff one position 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? Free calculator with every assumption visible and editable.

Updated on October 15, 2026 · https://app.pilotiko.com/en/tools/staff-a-position-24-7

It takes about 4.56 full-time people to staff one position 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A year has 8,760 hours; a person working 40 hours a week is available about 1,921 hours once 2 weeks of vacation, 8 statutory holidays and 15 hours of other absences are removed.

## In short
- 8,760 hours to cover per year versus about 1,921 hours actually available per person: 4.56 people.
- With 3 weeks of vacation (after 3 years of service), the need rises to about 4.66 people.
- This does not count breaks or shift overlaps: the real need is often slightly higher.
- Software does not replace these people: it can provide continuity for specific tasks (see below).

## How do you calculate the number of people for a 24/7 position?

Divide the hours to cover by the hours one person can actually work in a year. It is not 168 ÷ 40 = 4.2: vacation, statutory holidays and absences reduce each person's availability.

**The basic calculation**

- Hours to cover: 24 h × 365 days : 8,760 h
- Hours paid: 40 h × 52 weeks : 2,080 h
- − Vacation: 2 weeks × 40 h : − 80 h
- − Statutory holidays: 8 days × 8 h : − 64 h
- − Other absences (sickness, training) : − 15 h
- = Hours available per person : 1,921 h
- **= 8,760 ÷ 1,921 = 4.56 full-time people**

## How does the need change with the assumptions?

| Coverage | Hours per year | 2 weeks of vacation | 3 weeks of vacation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 h × 7 d | 8,760 | 4.56 | 4.66 |
| 16 h × 7 d (e.g. 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) | 5,840 | 3.04 | 3.10 |
| 12 h × 7 d | 4,380 | 2.28 | 2.33 |
| 8 h × 7 d | 2,920 | 1.52 | 1.55 |

40 h per week, 8 statutory holidays, 15 h of other absences. With 3 weeks: 1,881 h available per person.

## What this means for a service SMB

A reception desk open evenings and weekends quickly costs three to five salaries. That is why most SMBs switch the phone off at 5 p.m. and let messages pile up until the next day. Measure what those closed hours represent with the [missed-call cost calculator](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/tools/missed-call-cost).

Calculate the cost of each person with the [true employee cost calculator](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/tools/employee-cost-quebec), then multiply by the number of people found here to get the cost of continuous coverage.

> Pilotiko's AI receptionist, which would answer calls outside business hours, is not offered yet: the code exists but has not been verified with a real phone number. Today, Pilotiko offers online booking with real open slots, available 24 hours a day.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why not simply 168 hours divided by 40?

Because 168 ÷ 40 = 4.2 assumes each person works 52 weeks with no vacation, holiday or absence. Once those hours are removed, a person is available about 1,921 hours a year instead of 2,080, hence 4.56 people.

### Are breaks counted?

No. If the position must be staffed even during breaks and shift changes, you need overlap, which increases the need. The calculator gives a minimum.

### How many statutory holidays are there in Quebec?

Quebec's Act respecting labour standards provides 8 paid statutory holidays, including the June 24 national holiday. A person who works one of those days is entitled to an indemnity or a compensatory day off, which does not change the hours to cover.

### What about part-time employees?

The calculation gives full-time equivalents (FTEs). You can spread 4.56 FTEs across more part-time people, but each is also entitled to prorated vacation and holidays.

### Can software replace these people?

Not for everything. Software can handle some tasks continuously, such as online booking or drafting replies, but a person is still needed for judgment calls, physical presence or approvals.

## Sources

1. CNESST, « Vacances annuelles », https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/fr/conditions-travail/conges/vacances-annuelles (accessed on 2026-10-15)
2. Union des producteurs agricoles, « Fiche 3 — Paie et déductions salariales (jours fériés) », https://www.upa.qc.ca/fileadmin/01_UPA_provincial/Prod_SST/fiche-3-paie-et-deductions-salariales-fr.pdf (accessed on 2026-10-15)
3. Gouvernement du Québec, « Déductions de base au 1er janvier 2026 (RRQ, RRQ2, assurance-emploi, RQAP, CNESST, FSS) », https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/gouvernement/travailler/Services_employes_Etat/Remuneration/Deductions_base_2026.pdf (accessed on 2026-10-15)